What do you use it for

[rlithgow1]

So aside from the usual lights/temp/locks etc control, what do you use your home automation for? Genuinely curious (mainly to get ideas and feed my growing addiction lol)

Aside from the usual I use mine to make sure kids aren’t opening their second floor bedrooms, cameras everywhere (using xeoma as my dvr) and make things easier for my wife to preunlock the house when she’s carrying kids and/or groceries. (And soon to be irrigation).

[erktrek]

• An automated watering system for my veg garden using solenoid valves and smart plugs. Thinking about adding moisture sensors etc. Don't need a sophisticated device like Rachio... yet.

• a Dome water main control valve for emergency shut off capability.

• Contact sensors for detecting door left open on our basement refrigerator.

• Old Aeotec MS 6 (usb powered) mounted outside our house with a weather cover to detect actual light levels.

• Eventually get around to adding weather monitoring using a weather station.

• fake multi-way (3, 4 way) lighting control setup - power only in wall smart switches controlling a single pole light (which also is a smart dimmer). Did this after my electrician had trouble trying add a smart dimmer to a 4-way light.

• Lots of motion sensors converted to hardwiring using usb so I don't have to change batteries all the time - also replaced power outlets with outlets that have usb charging capability.

• hacked a bunch of older cheap 8" Fire tablets with Android to use for dashboard control. Thinking about wall mounting with power.

• Multi hub setup for better control reliability - isolate cloud apps.

[Cobra]

Ok... loads!

My home is never quiet!
Conservatory heating control
Electric window control
Presence for us and cars
A few dashboards
Neato Robot vacuum cleaners
Playing music in the garden via alexa

TTS/Email or txt messages for:
Laundry finished
Feed the dogs
I’ve left a window or door open too long
I’ve left the house and left a window open
Fridge/freezer been left open
Daily Weather report (using my PWS)
Mailbox alert

And about 40 more!

Way too many things to list

Andy

[Cobra]

[Cobra]

I use inside and outside lux sensors to control modes, lighting etc and ‘average’ temperature, motion, lux etc to use with my apps..

[SmartHomePrimer]

All you mentioned, plus security, laundry notifications and reminders (finished, time of use rates, lint filter reminders), microwave finished and door left open reminders, fridge/freezer door open too long reminders, triggers and reminders based on time of year, environmental and weather conditions, and overall household power use monitoring.

Upcoming project will be a home-built jig that holds a spare car fob. I plan to use two Switchmate devices which I’ve converted to Zigbee control. The plan is, we will be able to ask Alexa to get the car ready for us. One Switchmate will momentarily press the lock button on the fob, and the other will hold down the remote start button for two seconds.

[Cobra]

Ha!
I forgot all the power monitoring

[bcopeland]

Holy cow y'all have a lot of automations... My goal has been mainly to never have to hit switch or button... Or even have to tell alexa to do something... I want the house to know what I want it to do, when I want it to do it... (A/C, heating, cooling, lighting, alarm, etc) .. House knows when everyone leaves to lock up and arm, and then disarm/unlock when anyone arrives.. Personal preferences on each person's rooms temperatures for heat/cool in daytime and sleep...

[SoundersDude]

What power monitoring outlets do you use / recommend?

[rcjordan]

Curbside mailbox announcer (200 ft)
Magnetic field vehicle announcer (100 ft)
Garage door opener voice or phone control (overrides Chamberlain devices)
Launch 2 old Roomba 520s via IR (RM Mini3)
Repeat reminders (modified Bptworld's Notifier Plus)

[SoundersDude]

I've just started with HE (coming from Wink) since December.
My usage of HE so far is;

1. Security

• In general the HE governs my home "security" for various scenarios. I have a Ring setup (cameras + alarm), and use a Dome Siren as well.
• My wife and I use this all the time to open our Doors (Schlage locks) or check their status to make sure we remembered to close them.
• The HE HSM is awesome as per mode it will alert you if things are not right.
• I also have a lot of water/leak detectors because I live in a really old house with old plumbing. This has really saved me, even my not-very old sink and refrigerator leaked and this caught it.

1.2 Vacation Mode

• When on vacation my HE goes into locked down "away" mode I call vacation where my Ring Alarm also gets set, and any motion in the house would trigger alerts and my alarms.
• I also have HE do things like cut power to my garage door opener (outlet control), and have hooked up my lights to Alexa guard to simulate we are home. (I might evantually use one of the custom apps here to do that myself)

1.3 Sleep / Away Modes

• Sleep mode is like vacation with less triggers. If a door opens, motion in the garage, etc. Lights flash and my siren goes on. This is more for us to be aware than actual security.
• Lights also get turned off

4. Motion Lights

• Between sunset and sun-rise, I have my motion detectors turn on lights in our basement given the awkward positioning of our switches.

There's other stuff, but those are the big ones for me.
I love the Sonos integration, I check temperature around the house thanks to the button my wife uses to put the house in Sleep mode check the temp, and the water sensors I have also report temperature.
I used a smart plug in track how much the Christmas tree lights cost me this year which was pretty cool.

I set up a guest mode in the event we leave the house and someone is babysitting, I'll get alerts if any of the doors open (they shouldn't), etc.

[Cobra]

@SoundersDude

What power monitoring outlets do you use / recommend?

The dashboards are using aeotec/aeon labs hems.
But I have good success with SmartThings outlets for normal appliances that do not have heavy loads.
But I’m in the UK so our choices are limited.

Andy

[Terk]

What are you using to control your Neato BotVacs? Those are the last things I still have on ST.

Thanks.

[Royski]

Just a few things

To tell me where people are
Warn me when the Mrs leaves work
Which bins to put out on a Tuesday eve
streaming music in all rooms
Alert when the door opens and I'm working from home
Goodnight, turns everything off, checks all windows are closed and speaks a good night message
Good morning, turns on my PC, and music
Mrs Leaves, sets the house to home alone (lights behave accordingly)
Turning the cams on if we all leave, and off when we arrive
Turning on the entertainment in the Gazebo
Opening and closing the curtains based on day and time
Controlling the TV and setting the scene for Movie time
Alert me if the Aquarium gets too hot or cold

[Vettester]

@Terk

What are you using to control your Neato BotVacs?

I’m using a Neato plugin for HomeBridge. It only allows on and off functionality but this allows me to setup automations via HomeKit. I can also use voice commands via Siri.

[Cobra]

I just use a virtual switch and IFTTT
So, only on/off but that’s all I need to be able to schedule from HE

I did have them on ST but again only used on/off

[Terk]

Thanks guys I have one that I need to start with no-go lines or I'm constantly having to help it avoid chair legs or getting stuck under couches or something so I was hoping that was a possibility now. On ST I use the Neato integration there and have had no-go lines for a year now and its been working great, just would be nice to be able to finally shutdown the ST hub, although I do still use its presence sensors as a 3rd form for reliability so I guess its not all bad having it there.

[aaiyar]

My new favorite automation is something I just setup. Here's the background:

When my air-handler/furnace runs, I can't hear the TV and need to bump up the volume. And bump it back down when it turns off.

My lazy ass just automated this. I passed the neutral for the blower motor through a current sensor switch with dry contact terminals (RIBXGTF), and connected the dry contact terminals to the external terminals of a GoControl contact sensor.

When the air-handler runs, the terminals are energized and the contact sensor "opens". When it opens I use RM to raise the Sonos playbar volume (Sonos connected to TV). When the air-handler turns off, the sensor closes, and I use RM to bump the volume down.

[bcopeland]

@aaiyar

My lazy ■■■

Laziness is the mother of invention